


Of Flying and Falling

by WritingCactus



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adventure, Bisexual Dean Winchester, But sort of., Demisexual Castiel, Gabriel is a Flirt, It's a whole lotta gay., Just really gay, Kidnapping, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pirates, Romance, There's like a little bit of torture, Torture, Well not really, but it's not too bad, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 13:51:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 17,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5930707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingCactus/pseuds/WritingCactus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Castiel boards the Sea Knight with his brothers, he was expecting a trip full of bickering and being ignored, not adventure. Life has very different expectations, it turns out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own none if the characters in this, I only own plot and the spelling errors.  
> Also, I wrote this on my wattpad account originally, so I'm just reposting it from there.

Castiel shifted nervously, fiddling with the cuffs of his button-up shirt as he waited to board the Sea Knight. He hadn't wanted to come on this trip, he hadn't wanted to be away from his mother and sisters, and he definitely did not want to be trapped in the middle of the ocean with his father and brothers, a bunch of aristocrats, and a few suspicious crew members. Seriously, a few of the passengers made Castiel nervous, not that he'd ever admit it.  
He was jolted from his thoughts when his older brother, Gabriel, shoved him forward, into the empty space created by the line moving forward. He scampered the rest of the way onto the boat, staying close to his siblings. Lucifer, at 22, led the way, leering at the few younger children; Michael, at 21, remained near their father, listening to his every word and, Castiel was certain, mentally taking notes; Gabriel, who'd just turned 20, walked slowly, a mischievous look in his eyes.  
Cas looked down at his clothes, a button up white shirt and simple black pants, feeling self conscious as they went towards a group of very wealthy looking men. He darted to the right, looking to avoid the frivolous small talk. He ran to a more 2nd-or-3rd-class looking part of the boat, slowing to a walk. He began to calm down, easing into the more relaxed settings around him. He turned the corner to the stairs that led to the aft cabin, planning to find the room he and Gabriel shared, but ran directly into something first.  
The thing cursed and stumbled, and Castiel got a good look at it. At him. He was a little taller than Castiel, with short, dirty-blonde hair and green eyes to fit perfectly with his freckled tan skin. He wore an old, muddy green jacket and a pair of tan pants. Cas realized they were a bit too close to each other to be acceptable, and quickly shuffled back. The boy, he realized, looked to be around his age, maybe a little older, eighteen or nineteen. Taking his hand off of his head where he'd collided with Cas, he stepped back as well, looking Castiel up and down with a smirk.  
After a moment of intensely awkward silence, the boy offered him his hand, still smirking.  
"The name's Dean Winchester, nice to meet ya'." He grabbed Cas' s hand, and Cas almost pulled back, startled by the sudden friendliness.  
The b- no, Dean- smiled, "Calm down, I don't bite." He teased, and Castiel relaxed. If he had to be stuck on this godforsaken boat, it'd at least be nice to have a friend. He smiled feeling as though things might be taking a turn for the better.

Three Hours Later  
Castiel was laughing harder than he had in a while, sides shaking and chest heaving, as Dean laughed right along with him. After a bit of small talk, Dean had invited him on a tour of the boat. He'd been in awe of how much Dean knew about the vessel, and made him laugh when he told him so. Dean invited him to have dinner in his room, which was in the extra sleeping quarters that had been built above deck. They'd eaten a small, but delicious, dinner, talking the whole way through. Even though they didn't have a lot in common, having been brought up in very different ways, (Dean thoroughly avoided the subject of his past, which told Cas enough) they got along quite well.  
After recovering from his laughing fit, Cas straightened up, glancing out the one small window in Dean's room. He gasped, realizing it was pitch black outside! When his father noticed that he'd disappeared, if he hadn't already, he was in for a long, disapproving lecture. He could only hope Gabriel had coveted for him, though if he had, he'd surely want something in return.  
He jolted back to reality, realizing that Dean was waving in front of his face.  
"You still here Cas? You with me?" Dean was asking, a smirk creeping onto his face.  
Cas sprang up, trying to explain that he had to go without being rude. "I'm-sorry-but-it's-late-and-my-Father-will-be-looking-for-me-and-I-really-have-to-go-thanks-I-had-a-great-time-bye!" Cas babbled, rushing out the door. He glanced back just before the door swung shut, barely catching the smile on Dean's face.

Castiel crept down the stairs to the 1st class sleeping quarters, flinching every time he stepped on a squeaky board. After sneaking through the halls, and getting lost once, he finally arrived at his room. He slowly slid the door open, letting out a sigh of relief when it made no sound. He tip-toed to the empty bed, noticing that his suitcase had been tossed next to it, and pulled back the sheets. Cas snuggled into the fuzzy blankets, getting settled, and-  
-The nightstand light flicked on, lighting up Gabriel's smirking face. "What we're you doing up so late, Cas? Hmmmmmm?" He sneered, and Cas knew what was coming next. "I had to cover for you, you know. I told Father that you were talking with a pretty girl. You should've seen how excited he was, you finally showing interested in someone. He'd gotten so desperate, he probably would've been okay if it was a guy."  
Even though his brothers tone had become sympathetic at the end, Castiel still ignored his brother, wishing he hadn't been reminded of his father's disapproval. All of his brothers had courted a few ladies, and Gabe had even had courtship with a man, but their father had merely disapproved of that. He seemed utterly repulsed by Cas, and hardly ever acknowledged him. He figured it was because had only ever shown interest in one girl, when he was still a child.  
She'd been his best friend for all of his eight years of life, and one day, after she'd stopped his brothers from picking on him, he felt a wave of emotion. He'd been so excited to finally have a crush that he'd run straight home to tell his family. He'd "liked" about her until the day he'd had to move far away, and had felt anything remotely like that since then. He just didn't understand when Lucifer would go on about what he'd like to do to some poor girl, and his brothers laughed along, acting as if that was just something to chat about.  
Poor Castiel felt as though he was broken, as if he didn't understand the punchline in a joke that everyone else thought was hilarious. When he hadn't seemed interested in anyone else by the time he was eighteen, hisfather had become desperate and had him meet with a variety of eligible girls. While all them seemed quite nice, and certainly very pretty, he just couldn't imagine courting them. When Father realized that he wasn't interested in any of the girls, he simply gave up, and now hardly acknowledge his youngest son.  
Cas reached over to the bedside table, and carefully shut off the light. He tried his best to fall asleep, but all he could think about was how there must be something wrong with him, or that the boat would sink, or that he'd somehow manage to disappoint everyone in his life. Slowly, he drifted to sleep, still worrying. 

_______________________________________________________________________


	2. Chaos

Castiel shifted, slowly opening his eyes. He stared, dazed, at the sunlight streaming in through the window. Where was he? How did he get here? He wondered, still half asleep. He slowly sat up, remembering the events that had taken place yesterday. Ugh. He was still stuck on this boat, and now he'd have to deal with his father's questions. He rolled out of bed, groggily getting dressed before heading out into the hall.   
He stumbled into the dining area, breathing in the smell of biscuits and gravy. Cas grabbed a plate tossing some food on it before joining his family at a large table. He ignored the conversation, trying to focus on the dry, crumbly biscuits. He wondered if he'd be able to see Dean again, or if he'd even manage to avoid his father again. He finished his biscuit and started to get up to clear his plate.  
Before he was even fully out of his chair, he heard his father's cold voice. "Castiel, you are to remain by my side today. I'll have none of your sneaking off." His shoulders slumped. Apparently, Father didn't believe Gabriel's cover story.

_______________________________________________________________________

Castiel moved from foot to foot, trying to remove some of the soreness he felt. As expected, he'd been forced to meet all of his father's associates, while his brothers were free to roam the boat as they pleased. He did his best to make small talk, not wanting to displease his father any further. Many of the people had been fairly surprised that his father had a fourth son, and had then tried to pass it off as a polite joke so as not to seem rude. He wasn't even shocked, he knew that his father had basically stopped talking about him.   
Finally, his father dismisses him to go freshen up before dinner. Cas slipped off his wrinkled, more casual clothes, and groaned, rummaging through his luggage for his fancier outfit. Once he located it, he slipped on a white shirt, followed by a dark blue vest embroidered with gold thread. He slipped on his dress pants, and, reluctantly, set off down the hall. When he was halfway to the dining quarters, he felt something grab his hand, and the world spun. He found himself pressed into a wall, a hand covering his mouth, staring into green eyes. He let himself relax, just the tiniest bit, hoping he could trust Dean.   
The taller boy pulled his hand back, before whispering, "Sorry for the shock, but it didn't seem like I'd be able to talk to you otherwise."  
Castiel nodded, still dumbfounded. He tried to read Dean's expression, but it was too dark in the small room he'd pulled them into.   
"Do you like your life, Cas?" Dean continued. "Is this how you want to live?"   
Though he was confused, he shook his head, not having to think twice. He wanted to do basically anything else besides follow his brothers and his father all his life. He would be fine going on some crazy adventure, or even living a repetitive, mundane life, as long as he got to choose how he lived it.   
Dean stared at him for just a second longer, before smirking just the smallest bit, and whispering "Be ready to leave tomorrow night." Ad he was back in the hallway.   
In a daze, he walked the rest of the way to the dining area, barely even noticing the scowl his father gave him for being late. All throughout dinner he thought about what Dean had said. Why would he be leaving? Was it some sort of practical joke? Should he trust Dean at all? He hadn't even realized dinner had passed until he was preparing for bed, absent-mindedly responding to Gabriel's remarks. He lay awake in bed that night, some strange mix of nervousness and excitement eating away at his stomach. 

_______________________________________________________________________

Castiel woke late, sunlight streaming through his window. He realized Gabriel was still sleeping in the other bed. He checked the watch he'd left on the bedside table. 11:00. He figured his father must have been too busy to collect his sons. Thank goodness, it looked like Cas wouldn't have to trail behind him again today. He sat up, noticing a faint mark on his wrist. He wondered where it was from. Oh, it was probably from when Dean had pulled him into that room-  
Oh. Oh. How could he have forgotten Dean's mysterious request? Cas realized that, even though he'd been up late fretting about it, he still hadn't the slightest idea what to do. He slowly got dressed, deciding to wake Gabriel and tell him about his strange predicament. Even though his brother was mischievous, and often quite annoying, he was still kind to Castiel, and usually listened to him.   
When he started shaking him, Gabe flailed, nearly hitting Cas in the face. He sighed, used to it, and shook him again. After a lot of grumbling and rolling around, his older brother finally sat up, rubbing a hand through his bed-head. Without really thinking about what he wanted to say, Castiel began, letting out the torrent of worries he'd been keeping inside of himself.   
Gabe looked at him blankly at first, but as he woke up more, he started to look worried.  
"Look, Cassie-" Cas cringed at the unwanted nickname-"are sure you can trust this guy?"  
"That's the problem! I'm not sure if I really trust him, but what if something does happen?"  
His older brother paused, getting that rare look of concentration on his face, instead of his tricky grin. He stood up, stretching like a cat would arch it's back. He seemed more relaxed, and Castiel' s worry lessened. His older brother had his back, as usual.   
"Well, I'd back you're stuff. That way, if something does happen you'll be ready. Now, where'd I put my bag?" He seemed to be getting excited, Castiel thought.  
"Wait, are you packing up too?" He asked, not quite understanding what was happening.   
"Of course!" Gabriel smirked. "If anything happens, I don't want to miss out on all the action. Now, are we gonna do this or not?"

_______________________________________________________________________

About an hour and a half later, Castiel finally felt ready. He'd grabbed only the things he thought he'd need; Gabe, on the other hand, had packed just about all of the stuff he owned. He'd even stolen a few of the other passenger's things, including a gold compass, two watches, and, for no apparent reason, two very fancy-and lacy- pairs of pantys.   
When Cas asked about them, he'd just winked, saying something about "taking trophies for how well he played the game. "Castiel wasn't sure what that that meant, but was sure he didn't want too.  
He stepped back, checking the room to make sure he wasn't leaving anything. He fiddled with the gold buttons on his vest. He'd worn the same outfit as last night seeing as it was hardy dirty. He didn't know why, but he wanted too look his best for whatever was coming. Castiel felt nervousness rushing through his veins, and shifted some more.   
Gabriel grabbed his arm, pulling him along to lunch. Cas barely ate, not able to ignore the knots that seemed to being tying and undying themselves inside his stomachs. After lunch, he'd stumbled along behind Gabe, not paying attention to what exactly his brother was up too. Finally, just before dinner, he got his brother to come with him to gather their stuff. They lugged their suitcases all the way to the dining area, carefully hiding them under their table.   
Though Gabreil hadn't wanted too, it was Castiel who had convinced him to carry their stuff with them, insisting that it-whatever it was they were waiting for- could happen at anytime. Soon, the other passenger's arrived, merrily chatting as they waited for their meals to be ready. Cas did his best to pay attention to what his father was lecturing them about, but his eyes kept drifting around the room, looking for any indication that something big was happening.   
The food was soon served, and he felt as though he'd never had a more tasteless meal in his life. His steak seemed too dry, his bread too crumbly, and his drink too sweet. After what seemed like forever the plates were cleared, and dessert was brought out. Just as the servers disappeared back to the kitchen, a man, who Castiel recognized to be the captain's first mate, ran through the door and to the front of the room.   
The passengers fell silent, staring at the young man. He was drenched in sweat, his hair a mess and his eyes wide. His legs gave out underneath him, and he fell to his knees, panting. After another agonizing moment of stunned silence, he opened his mouth. 

"The Sea Knight is under attack!"

The room erupted into chaos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd just like to point out that I am not demisexual personally, do if I portray anything incorrectly, please tell me so I can fix it.


	3. Falling

Castiel had no idea what was happening. People were screaming and running in all directions, not sure what was going on either. A man yelled something, and those who'd heard him flocked to see what he was pointing at. He darted between the other passenger's, finally making his way the edge of the vessel, trying yo see why everyone was panicking even more.   
He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. Heading steadily towards them, sails flapping, was an enormous pirate ship. It had the well known skull-and-crossbones flag on the main mast, with two plain black flags on the smaller masts. Cas could see the glint of silver canons on the sides of the ship, and felt dread settling like a stone in his stomach. The ship was getting closer, and he really doubted the pirates were going to be anything close to friendly.   
He flinched, feeling a hand on his arm, and turned. It was Gabriel, looking surprisingly calm. He said something that Cas couldn't hear over the yelling, and started pulling him back to their suitcases. They gathered their stuff, before running to the prow of the boat, trying to see if there was any safe way off. The women and children were entitled to the life boats, as Cas pointed out when Gabe suggested they take one.   
He was leaning on the edge of the rail, trying to make sense of the chaos the rest if the ship was in, when it happened. He must have pressed just a little too hard on the railing, or put pressure on a loose nail, because now he was falling backwards in what felt like slow-motion. Out of instinct, he tried to find something, anything to hold onto, and watched in horror as his hand latched onto Gabe' s coat sleeve. He couldn't let go, couldn't move fast enough, couldn't make his body release what felt like his last chance at survival. He saw the shock, and then terror hit his brother's face like punches.  
And they were falling. The fall felt like months, but the seconds before had felt longer, like years. Castiel thought he'd read something about how hard water could be if you hit it from high enough. This fall would probably kill them both. He was going to die, and he'd never have the chance to really live his life. Even with his last moment, he'd failed. He'd dragged his brother with him, surely killing him in an attempt to save himself.  
Just before he hit the water, Castiel felt something inbetween emptiness and peace. Everything was calm, quiet, and blank. It was painfully quiet, and the world felt horribly, horribly empty. He couldn't even think, could only feel this terrible battle between serenity and insanity; before he hit the water. It didn't feel cold, not at all. It felt sharp, as though every inch of his body, inside and out, was being stabbed with and impossibly sharp blade. He felt the cold fade into something soft and smooth, saw the beautiful, turquoise ocean light up with sunlight, and sank into darkness. 

_______________________________________________________________________

Castiel felt softness and warmth all around him. He could smell something that might be cinnamon, mixed with the scent of wood and books. He could hear murmuring, soft voices weaving in and out of earshot. He shifted, feeling silky soft blankets around him, and the voices stopped. When he tried to force them open, he realized his eyelids were heavy, and wouldn't open. After a bit of struggle, he blinked, his eyes trying to adjust to the soft sunlight streaming in. Everything was a soft blur of blues and purples and gold, but he could see... two, no three figure on his left.   
He rolled towards them, blinking frantically in an attempt to clear his vision. Finally, he managed to focus enough to realize that the people by his bedside were his brother, a very tall boy he didn't know, and... Dean? He shot up, clutching his head at the pain the swift movement brought him. Whoa, whoa, whoa. How was he alive? Shouldn't he have drowned? Where was he, and how did he get here?  
He tried to voice his questions, but all that came out of Cas' s lips was a strange gurgling noise. The taller boy rushed forward, trying to get him to lay back down. He was too weak to resist, and had to just watch as Dean and his brother walked into the edge of his vision, not really hearing what the tall boy was saying to him. Something about needing to sleep. Yeah, sleep did sound pretty great right now. He'd just shut his eyes for a few minutes, and find out what his situation was later...  
_______________________________________________________________________

When he woke up, it was almost totally dark, with just a sliver if moonlight creeping in through the window. He could see clearly now, and noticed he was in a large canopy bed, but couldn't make out much else about the room. He sat up slowly, trying not to hurt himself again. Cas gently pushed the covers off of himself, pulling himself onto his feet and creeping to the window. The space beyond his room was lit up with the moonlight, and he could make out what seemed to be a well-kept garden, overflowing with billowing vines and large flowers that turned pale in the soft light.   
When he pushed the latch and tugged the window open, he was nearly overwhelmed by the smell. He could smell the saltiness of the ocean, mixed with the cloying smell of the flowers and soil. The wind wipped through his hair and into the room, filling it with the wonderful, clean air. He stood at that window for what seemed like hours, before finally tip-toeing back to the large bed, nestling into the still warm sheets. He let the smell of the cool night air wash over him once more, letting it pick him up and gently carry him away to sleep.

The next morning, the very first thing he felt was hunger. Piercing, demanding hunger. He sat up, groaning at the gnawing feeling in his stomach. He could smell... sausage, for sure, and maybe pancakes. He crawled out of bed, making his way to the door and pulling it open. Cas wandered down the halls, getting lost in what seemed to be a mansion on his way to where the mouth-watering smell was coming from. Eventually, after losing his way at least three times, he manage to find what seemed to be the door to the kitchen, judging by the smell.  
When he pulled the door open, he was surprised to see Gabe and the tall boy sitting at a large, round table, while Dean alternated between flipping pancakes and cooking the sausage he'd been smelling. When no one noticed him, he awkwardly cleared his throat, not sure what else to do. Everyone looked up at once, and the pancake Dean had just flipped ended up on the floor. They all starting talking at once, rushing over to Cas. Once Dean managed to get the other two boys to quiet down, he turned to Cas, offering out his hand.   
"Well, you said you wanted a new life, so you better be ready for a hell of an adventure!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, thanks once again for reading this! I would like to mention that I wrote this a while ago, and I'm not reading over it when I post it, so it probably has some errors. If you see anything that doesn't look right, feel free to tell me so I cam fix it! Have a great day!


	4. Decisions

What? Castiel stared blankly at the smiling boy in front of him, who seemed to be waiting for a reaction. The taller boy elbowed him in the side, mumbling something about "giving an actual explanation for once." Gabriel just smirked, amused by Cas's obvious confusion.   
Finally, Dean sighed, leading him over to the table. "Okay, I guess I have to "go into detail", he did air quotes as he said this, aggravated. "Basically, my brother Sam and I-" he gestured to the tall boy-"are part of... well, let's just call it an organization. In this ...organization, the members mainly live on ships, and occasionally er, scavenge other boats for necessary supplies. Sammy and me, it's our job to find people who are willing to join. After we train you two- if you agree- we'll be able to get back in the action. So, did you get all that?"  
Cas sat for a moment, before saying, "Oh, my God. You're pirates. I'm in a mansion, with pirates!" He put his head in his hands, hardly able to process it.   
The tall boy, Sam, scratched the back of his head, looking a little uncomfortable. "Well, pirates is... it doesn't have the best connotations, I guess. We really are just, uh, part of a group. We only try to scare people off of their boats, so we can take their stuff. We don't even fight unless it's absolutely necessary."  
Dean leaned in, trying to get Cas excited. "Come on! You get to live a life full of adventure! You get yo do whatever you please! Most of the members are pretty young, so no one is really in charge; we do have leaders, but we get a say in that. It's sort of like a democracy. With weapons!"  
Cas sat, trying to think. It would be so much better than what his father could have offered him, with all this adventure and excitement. But... what if there was danger? He wasn't exactly athletic, and he didn't know anything about combat. He'd be pretty much useless in a fight.   
Seeing his worry, Sam chimed in, "Like I said, Dean and I aren't just going to throw you guys out there alone, we'll train you. Dean's in charge of combat, and sometimes cooking; I teach battle strategy, medicine, and more about our group. Look, I know it's a lot to take in, but it'd be a lot worse to just leave you in the dark. Of course, you don't have to join. We can arrange for you to be returned to your homes. Do you want some time to think things over?"  
Cas just nodded dumbly. What on earth was supposed to say? He'd basically been kidnapped by a group of pirates, and now they were trying to recruit him? He still didn't even know where he was!  
"I... I'm going to need a few days, I guess." He tried to act more composed than he actually was. If he was going to join these boys- and that's a big if- he didn't want to seem useless. The others sat down with him, eating the pancakes Dean had made. He was to busy scarfing down the pancakes to listen to the conversation, none of which seemed that important. It felt like he hadn't eaten in weeks.   
Speaking of which... " um, how long was I unconscious?"   
Sam and Dean seemed a little uncomfortable, but Gabriel answered cheerfully. "Oh, just two weeks. I was up and at 'em after just one, and I was seriously considering dumping a bucket of water on you."  
His mouth dropped open. "Two weeks? How could I have slept that long?"  
When Gabe just shrugged, Dean sighed, answering for him. "You did wake up occasionally, so we were able to feed you and stuff, but you were always out pretty quickly. That whole falling-from-a-large-boat-and-almost-drowning thing didn't do either of you much good. I'm pretty sure you would've died if we had anyone else patch you up. Sammy' s quite the medic."  
Sam just shrugged, mumbling something about not being anything special. "I was lucky, that's all. Dean just happened to be close enough to get you two into his boat, and fast enough to get you to the island."  
Cas paused, thinking how oddly convenient it was that Dean had been looking out for them. Wait, what was that last bit?  
"Hold on, are we on an island? If so, where? Is it uncharted? Do other people live here?" The questions came flying out him, not able to buzz around his head any longer. His older brother rolled his eyes, used to his curiosity.  
Once Sam had managed to process all the questions, he replied, "Yes, somewhere between America and Europe, yes, and yes. We've managed to keep it hidden from outsiders, but there is a village in the center. This house was built specifically for new recruits, so it's pretty far away from the village. Oh yeah,we're up on a cliff, which goes right up to the ocean." When Cas gave him a scared look, he added, "Don't worry, we have tons of space up here, and we're not too close to the Edge. Also, even though we handle things pretty well by ourselves, we still have to make monthly trips down to the village for supplies. Anything else you'd like to know?"  
"Um... how long do we train, and what exactly do we do afterwards?"  
Once was finished with his pancakes (Cas had no idea how he ate them so impossibly fast), Dean hushed Sam, who looked like he was ready to give another lecture. "Basically, the minimum training time is three months, but it can be a lot longer depending on how quickly the newbies learn. Once that's out of the way, you'll be assigned to a Ship, and what you do then depends on who you're captain is. You might end up raiding ships, or taking care of livestock, or charting unexplored territory. There's a lot of possibility, and you get some say in where you're going."  
"Is Gabriel a recruit too?"  
At this, his brother leaned in, smirking. "I wasn't really supposed to be, but now I'm just along for the ride. I'm fine staying or going, so all of the responsibility is on you, little brother."  
Ugh. Now he had to do decide wether or not to join a band if pirates. Even though the whole ordeal seemed fake, the only other option was that he'd drowned, and Cas was positive this wasn't heaven.   
"Do I actually have all the time I need to decide?"  
"Once again, Sam looked a little uncomfortable. "Er, not quite. Dean and I have to report your answers in three days, at the latest."   
At this, he flopped his head onto the table, barely missing his now-forgotten pancakes. How on earth could he decide something so important in three days?  
_______________________________________________________________________

Time must have seriously had it out for Castiel. Every hour he sat, trying to come to someconclusion, seemed to drag on for centuries; the days, however, were gone in a flash. He wandered through empty halls, trying to find his way back to the kitchen. Sam had been trying to get him to stop putting it off, and had finally convinced him to give him an answer. When he finally managed to get to the kitchen, he found the younger Winchester (he'd discovered not only Sam and Dean's last name but also their ages) sitting on a table. When the taller boy didn't notice him, he cleared his throat.  
"So? Have you decided?" He seemed hopeful, and Cas felt a little guilty for making him wait so long. He shifted his feet, feeling nervousness wind it's way through his chest. He took a deep breath in, stepping forward a little. He hesitated, suddenly rethinking his choice. No, there really was only one option.  
Castiel stood up straight, looked Sam Winchester in the eye, and said the words that would turn his world upside down once and for all. "I'm in."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has read this! I really appreciate it! Have a wonderful day! :D


	5. Training

Training wasn't nearly as bad as Castiel had expected it to be when he was told it would start on Monday. Sam was a fantastic teacher, and Dean didn't expect him to know how to shoot, or be remotely strong, at all. Within a week, he was able to stitch, knew how to avoid getting scurvy, and do ten push-ups. (Which was way better than zero.) This morning, Dean was going to try and teach him how to shoot, while Sam would teach him more about the organization.   
He'd since found out that the group actually had a name, Team Free Will, and that it had been created for young people who wanted a way out of the path their familys had for them. It was full of teens and young adults, with a few older members who had helped found it. Apparently, there were hideouts, bases, and ships all over the world that were controlled by Team Free Will, or TFW. There were different divisions, led by different high-ranking members. He'd learn more about that today,such to his excitement.  
Though he'd done well in his studies back at home, Castiel owed all of his new-found knowledge to Sam's incredible teaching. He didn't use textbooks and homework, and instead worked through stories. He told tales of how TFW was created, and how the rules (few and far between) were formed, weaving the information into dramatic, heart wrenching legends, with fascinating characters and descriptions. As Castiel listened, he somehow learned all the answers to the questions Sam asked by heart.   
Dean's method of teaching was more learn-through-experience, as Sam called it. He started Castiel off on a workout program on the first day of training, but by Wednesday, he'd figured out that strength wasn't really Cas's thing. Now, though he was still trying to build up his strength, the older Winchester had started focusing on agility training. When Castiel had asked Dean what exactly agility was (he had a good idea, but he wanted to know exactly what he was in for), he had explained that it was the ability to move your body to the position you wanted very quickly.  
He'd have to work on his balance first, according to Dean.   
Cas had thought he was pretty balanced (he didn't fall over that much), but apparently he wasn't balanced enough. He'd had to do simple upper-body exercises while slowly moving his feet closer together, until they were touching. He was surprised when he fell down, seeing as the task hardly seemed difficult. Next, he had to do his exercises just on one foot, which was a lot harder. Dean laughed him when he fell down the fifth time, before pulling him to his feet. Cas shot him a glare, doing his best not to wind up on the floor again. Once he wasn't sprawled on the ground every 30 seconds, Dean had him stand on one foot with his eyes closed. When he began tilting to one side immediately, Dean had decided that they should probably take a break from balance.   
That was how Castiel ended up at the archery range, which was quite different from the flat, dirt space he'd been training at so far. It was in a huge open field, located farther in on the island than Cas had been before. At varying distances from where he stood, an array if targets were set up. He hurried over to where Dean was waiting, eager to see if he'd be any good at shooting. When he reached him, he saw that Dean had a few rifles littered at his feet, and one in his hand. The older boy smiled at him in greeting, before tossing him a rifle. When he caught it with one hand, the cool metal felt unnatural in his hand.  
"So, I guess I'm required to give you the bullshit gun-safety speech, so here goes: don't shoot me, don't shoot anyone on our side, and don't shoot yourself. Got it?" Dean asked, half-joking.  
Despite his nervousness, Cas laughed, nodding his head. Dean moved closer, arranging his hands to the proper position, and giving him snippets of instruction.  
"See, you put one hand on the barrel to hold 'er steady... spread your feet apart just a little..." Dean moved out right behind him, lifting up his arm just a bit. "And you look through the scope to see where you're shooting. Wanna give it a try?"  
He peered through the scope, shifting slightly until it lined up with the nearest target. He braced himself, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger. The gun jolted back against hum, but him managed to hold his ground. The bullet flew far to the left of the target. This was going to be a long morning.

_______________________________________________________________________

By the end of the morning, Cas'd just barely managed to hit the edge of the target, but Dean had slapped him on the back anyway, congratulating him on his supposed improvement. They ate turkey sandwiches (courtesy of Dean) before bidding each other goodbye. On his way back up to the house, which was commonly referred to as The Manor, he passes Gabriel, who had been working with Sam all morning. Though Gabe gave Sam a little trouble, he really loved to piss off Dean. He'd taunt him and make snarky remarks the entire time he was working, and Cas wasn't sure how Dean had managed not to shoot his brother yet.   
Once at The Manor, he found his way to the library, an enormous room with multiple hidden areas and floor-to-ceiling shelves, all packed with books. Sam was sitting at the usual table, with a few books piled in front of him. He looked up when he walked in, nodding his head in greeting.   
"So, like I said yesterday, today I'm going to go over the divisions in more detail. There are five divisions: recruiting, defense, raiding, exploration, and communication. None of these were a part of Team Free Will originally, but they were all created for a reason..."

By the time Sam was done talking (his story had somehow involved both a love triangle and two evil rulers), Cas understood the basic functions of all of the divisions. Sam and Dean were currently in the recruiting division, which was exactly what it sounded like. Their job was to find young people looking for a more interesting life, convince them to join TFW, and give them some basic training. The defense division was in charge of keeping TFW a secret, and keeping everyone safe from those who wanted to start trouble. The raiding division had to attack cruise ships to gather food and supplies, preferably without harming anyone. Exploration was all about finding new, uninhabited islands that could be used for the organization, and mapping the areas already discovered. Finally, communication solved all of the issues with the few seaport towns that were aware of them, and sometimes trading with other ships.   
By the time they were done, Gabe and Dean were back (and bickering), and it was late enough for dinner. After they all helped to cook a large stew, they dug in hungrily. While they sat around the table, talking and eating and laughing, Castiel felt more at home than he had anywhere else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, even though I did some research, I still don't know a lot about guns and weaponry and such, so if I get anything wrong, forgive me.


	6. The Village

The next two weeks flew by in a whirlwind of training, stories, and laughter. Castiel felt like Sam and Dean were the best friends he'd ever had, even though they'd turned his life around and he hadn't know them that long. Gabriel had started hitting on Sam almost constantly, which was very fun to watch, seeing as the taller boy had absolutely no clue how to respond. He'd shuffle he's feet and blush, stammering out some half-assed response, before awkwardly stumbling away.  
Dean had taken to leaving the room when this happened, rolling his eyes in mock disgust. Cas shouldn't have been surprised, seeing as his older brother had been with nearly all of the boys and girls in their previous home. He just hoped Sam wouldn't forget what he was talking about every time Gabe was just a little bit too close, or saying suggestive things in an innocent way.   
With how busy they'd been, the four of them hadn't noticed how low on supplies they'd run. Today, they would lock up the house and make the hour-long walk down to the village. Cas had been in charge of making a list of everything the needed, ranked by necessity. That list turned out way longer than expected.  
He stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, (it still felt weird to call it his own) buttoning up his shirt and wondering about the village. Sam had told him that it was made up of mostly the retired members of TFW, but also included a few people who had lived there originally. While it was quite small, it provided them with plenty of supplies. Personally, he was really looking forward to seeing the village, because the only places his father had taken him were busy, rich cities. He wanted to explore a small town with Dean, Sam, and Gabriel, and see what it was like to live a regular life.

After a quick breakfast of eggs and toast, the four of them hitched up a small cart to a pudgy old horse, who's name Cas learned to be Stanley. As they began to descend down a dusty road to town, Dean was the only one talking, reading off of Cas's list while the others yawned. Even with the tight schedule training had put him on, Cas still wasn't adjusted to waking up so early. Gabe kept trying to lean on Sam, but that might not have been just from tiredness.   
Twisting his head around in all directions, Cas tried to take in all of the unfamiliar scenery. To his right, he could see vast expanses of open fields, leading to a curve of the cliff. To his left was a massive forest, which he could only imagine to be the home of thousands of wild creatures. Way off in the distance, he could see a miniscule cluster of buildings, drawing slowly closer. By now, Gabe was more awake, to the dismay of the Winchesters. He'd walk in the back with Sam for a bit, probably invading his personal space, before darting to the front to pester Dean. The older Winchester looked just about ready to shoot him. Trying to entertain the other boys, and hopefully prevent murder, Castiel asked, "So, is there anything special in the village?"  
"Well, there's the basic stuff, like animals and products, but there are also lots of shops that sell supposedly magical items, which are brought in by members of Team Free Will. Oh, and if we're lucky, the carnival will be in town today!"  
That seemed to get Gabe' s attention, as he asked, "A carnival? Are there prizes you can win? Is there candy?"  
Sam nodded, explaining more about the carnival. Apparently, there were tons of mini-games(which were most definitely rigged), a Ferris wheel, and stands selling cotton candy, lemonade, funnel cake, and other foods sure to knock your cholesterol levels up a bit. If the carnival was in town (he highly doubted that the Ferris wheel coming into view was anything else), that meant that a similar celebration was taking place on all of the islands belonging to TFW.

_______________________________________________________________________

When they finally reached the village, Cas was absolutely entranced. Their were tons of small shops, filled with everything from melt-on-your-tongue-taffy to the most delicious looking cider, and he was dying to try everything. Eventually, the others agreed that they should split up, so he could explore. Dean was going to come with him so he didn't lose his way in the crowds, while Sam and Gabe were going to take care of the shopping. He didn't really think that was the best idea, but he was too eager to explore to care that much.   
First, he dragged Dean to a candle shop, feeling a little overwhelmed from the multitude of wonderful smells. They ended up buying a squat candle which smelled like fall, which he absolutely loved, but Dean grumbled about seasons not having a smell. Continuing farther into the bustling village, Dean led him to a small bar, who's owner he seemed to know.  
"Hey, Ellen, can we see the "special products?" The older women, Ellen, rolled her eyes when he did finger quotes, but greeted him warmly and led them through a door at the back of the bar. On the other side was the biggest display of weapons Cas had ever seen, presented in glass cases covering almost every surface. There were sleek, sharp-looking daggers and knives, swords with intricately carved hilts, and large, intimidating guns littered throughout the room. Dean acted like this was nothing unusaul, striding into the room and examining a rifle mounted on the wall.   
Noticing his friend's amazement, Dean walked back to him, laughing. "I keep on forgetting you've never seen things like this. Ellen here does run a bar, but she also helps supply TFW with the best weaponry around. Since you're a recruit, you can get whatever you like, and it's already paid for."   
Dean lead Cas over to one of the display cases, which held some of the fancier swords. "Plus, you even get to try some of these out. We wouldn't want you to have a weapon that doesn't work for you, or else you'd be dead within a week."  
Ellen went back into the bar, complaining about her rowdy clients, after handing Dean the keys to the weapon cases. Once he'd looked around a bit more, he decided to try out a sword with a blue-and-green wave pattern on the hilt. It felt heavy in his hands, and when he took an experiment swing, he nearly toppled over. After almost falling over laughing, Dean took the sword back, suggesting he try something a little lighter.   
One sword, three guns, and two daggers later, he found it.  
A thin, double-edged sword, with an intricate, flame pattern on the hilt, lying in a red velvet case. The sheath next to it was similarly patterned, with red-orange flames creeping down it's length. When he tried it out, it felt balanced in his hands, and Dean agreed that it was right for him immediately.   
After leaving the bar, they met up with Sam and Gabriel to buy lunch. Surprisingly, the two of them had already gathered all of the stuff they needed, so Sam was going to take Gabe to get his weapon next. Once they'd finished lunch, they split up once again, wandering through small streets packed with amazing shops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit of a filler, but I promise things pick up in the next one. I'm honestly amazed that so many people have read this, thank you all so much!


	7. The Kiss

As the afternoon wore on, Dean and Castiel wandered through the village streets, making their way to the open field where the carnival was set up. When they'd stopped at a small pet store, Cas had begged and begged Dean to let him get a small puppy with a droopy face, and the older boy had had to practically drag him away, insisting that a dog wouldn't want to live on a boat. Then, to make it up to him, he'd taken him to a candy store filled with the swetest, most whimsical candies he'd ever had, and let him buy a whole bag. They'd also run into Sam and Gabe there, Gabe filling bag after by of candy. After agreeing they might as well go together, the group had headed towards the carnival.

Now, there were tons of tents spread out in front of them, spotted with games and performers, leading to a few rides and an enormous Ferris wheel at the end of the field. Cas could feel excitement bubbling up inside him at the prospect of going to a carnival for the first time, and he grabbed Dean's hand and pulled him into the maze of tents. He stopped abruptly at a food tent, causing Dean to almost crash into him.  
"Look, Dean! They have funnel cake!" He exclaimed, before blushing. He was acting like a child, and in front of Dean! But the boy just laughed, ordering a funnel cake for them to share. He didn't seem annoyed by Castiel' s excitement, but seemed amused instead. Cas's smile came back, and he grabbed some of the pastry, shoving it in his mouth. Dean laughed through his own mouthful, before pulling him off to a small semi-circle of games.   
There were throwing-darts and guessing games, mixed with fortune telling booths and strength tests. Cas tried, and failed miserably, to knock down three milk bottles with a ball. Dean laughed, but his mood quickly changed when he didn't do any better, and he just mumbled something about rigged games. He did manage to outdo four other players at darts, and let Cas have the enormous stuffed bear that came as a prize.   
After stashing the bear under a table, they hurried to the house of mirrors. They somehow managed to get totally lost, and had to ask a small family for help. Once they'd finally escaped, and were out of the view of the family, they burst out laughing at the suspicious looks the parents had been throwing them. After catching his breath, Cas spotted a poster announcing a special show at eight, which was in ten minutes. It was on the other side of the field, and they were panting by the time they reached the larger, more enclosed tent that the event would be held in. After paying, they hurried in to a few empty seats in the back, sitting down just as the lights dimmed.   
A tall man came out, announcing in a booming voice that the first act was called "Dancing with Fire". Two beautiful girls, with night-dark skin and flowing red-orange dresses that seemed to move and climb like fire, walked to the center of the tent, holding long sticks. They stood opposite each other, and silence fell as the audience caught it's breath. Suddenly, the top ends of the sticks burst into flame, and the girls surged forward, twirling the sticks so that the other ends caught fire as well. The girls began to dance, twisting and twirling, moving the poles with them as they went, giving the impression that it was all one big mass of flame.

The fire eventually slowed down and sputtered out, and the girls were replaced by a boy and a girl, who looked like siblings, riding bareback on two horses. The crowd cheered as they stood up, and gasped when they moved to stand on their hands, and then just one hand. They eventually jumped onto the other's horse, before performing a few simple tricks and riding out of the stage. After that was acrobatics, juggling, and finally a bunch of animals performing tricks, which Cas absolutely loved. Once the whole performance was over, Dean insisted that they check on their brothers, and make sure they were doing alright.  
After searching what felt like the entire carnival, they finally caught sight of Sam and Gabe, who were talking near a small cotton-candy stand. Just as Dean was about to call out to them, he suddenly stopped, blanched, and abruptly turned around and began walking in the opposite direction. Cas stopped also, confused, and turned back to Gabe and Sam to see why his friend had acted like that.   
Oh.  
Oh.  
Sam and Gabriel were kissing. Well, making-out seemed more accurate, but he didn't want to think about that. Cas turned around and ran after Dean, who was walking quite quickly and looked as though he was about to be sick.  
When he finally caught up, Dean turned to him, exasperated. "Our brothers are going at it in the middle of a carnival!"  
"Well, that's definitely what it looked like." Cas mumbled.  
"I mean, I know Sam can date whoever he wants, but seriously! Gabriel?"  
"I'm just surprised Sam actually went for it. He seemed awfully uncomfortable earlier."  
"That part doesn't bother me. Sam's always been kind of bad at romance, and just awkward in general. He's only ever dated one girl, Jessica, and she ended up not joining TFW." Dean paused, thinking before coming to what looked like a horrible conclusion. "What do I say to him? He's my little brother, for God's sake! Am I supposed to just casually mention that we saw him making out with your brother? Do I have to give him the talk?"   
He seemed to be getting more and more panicked, but Castiel couldn't help but laugh. "Dean, I'm sure Sam knows what he's doing. If he says anything, and I think he will, just try and act surprised and be accepting." Then, just to get on his friend's nerves, he added, "besides, I'm sure Gabe will fully educate him about that sort of thing soon enough." Dean made a face like he'd just seen his grandma naked, and Cas took off, laughing uncontrollably. He heard Dean sprinting behind him, cursing and laughing. After nearly knocking a few people down, he finally stopped, out of breath. As he waited for Dean to catch up, (he had been not to far behind him when he turned that last corner) he realized he was at the Ferris wheel, which was a lot bigger in person. If was also flashing from blue to purple to red and back again, illuminating the pitch-black sky.   
Soon, Dean was by his side, panting and gazing at the Ferris wheel as well. "Do you want to ride?"   
Without even considering the question, Cas nodded his head, wanting to do as much as he possibly could. After a surprisingly short wait in line, they were paying admission and clambering into the small cart that would be taking them into the sky. They stopped halfway to the top on the first time around, and halfway down on the second time. Even though he was loving the ride, some part of Cas was desperately wishing that the wheel would stop right when they reached the top, like it always did in romance novels. The rest of him, however, was super confused. Why would he want things to be like that with Dean? Wait, did he want to kiss Dean? When did he start to feel like that?   
Unfortunately, he hadn't figured out any answers by the time they were at the top of the wheel again. And-oh my God- the wheel stopped.   
Turning around, he saw that Dean was gazing at him, looking a little worried. "You okay there, Cas? Don't worry, we'll be moving again soon." Dean sounded worried, too. Still panicking, but trying to make it less obvious, Cas squeezed his eyes shut.   
Suddenly, he felt the older boy's hand on his face, and his soft breath on his nose.   
"Are you really sure you're okay, buddy?" Dean's voice was softer than normal, and just seemed so... gentle. Cas finally opened his eyes, and was immediately met by bright green ones. He's not sure if it's an accident or not, but he shifts forward just a tiny bit, and that's enough. Dean's eyes close, and his follow.

Even though he know's it's coming, it still surprises him.

Dean Winchester is kissing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's chapter seven! I hope you liked it, as this was one of my favorite chapters to write. Have a nice day!


	8. Eden

To Castiel, Dean Winchester seemed to be the earthly equivalent of heaven. It had been only a month since the night at the fair, but it seemed like he'd had more fun in that short time than the rest of his life, and it seemed Dean was the reason for all of it. After that first kiss, Dean had asked him out, and he hadn't even considered saying no. Sure, he'd never dated anyone before, but Dean was... different, it seemed. Just a hello from him would brighten Castiel's day instantly, and his world seemed to shine with the boy around. What he loved the most, though, was that Dean treated him both as a friend and a lover. He'd still pat him on the back and make small talk with him, but now Dean would also kiss him unexpectedly and ask him about all sorts of things. "Hey Cas, do you like it here? What's your favorite book? What do think about our garden?"   
He seemed to want to learn every little thing about Cas, as though he were trying to make up for the years they hadn't known each other.  
Of course, they also went on dates. Sometimes, that meant dressing up and walking down to the most expensive restaurant in the village and getting dinner, other times they would just go to Dean's room with snacks and talk for hours. His favorite, though, was the day they walked through that wondrous garden. Dean had explained that the garden had been designed so that it needed very little care, because there would be periods of time where no one could care for it.. There were plants from all over the world, many of which he'd never even heard of. They'd walked in silence, simply getting lost in the many hidden paths between the foliage. Once again, there was that beautiful smell of the ocean mixing with the sweet scent of the flowers, but it was different than the first time he'd smelled it. That night, he'd felt so confused and alone, and the lovely garden had provided some proof that, wherever he was, there was still beauty. Now, all of his focus was on the boy next to him, who was admiring.   
Dean had noticed him staring, and, without hesitation, pulled him into a deep kiss. When they pulled apart, the older boy was grinning, and they couldn't help but fall into fits of laughter. 

Unfortunately, their relationship didn't mean Dean would go any easier on him during training. After his balance had improved enough, Dean made him lift weights (which he absolutely hated), learn basic sword-fighting techniques, and continue shooting with a rifle. Swordsmanship was what Cas considered himself to be the best at, but he thought that that was, in part, because of his blade. Every time he picked it up, it seemed to just fit so easily in his hands, and when he swung it, it was easy and clean. But, despite the blade and his fast growing skill, it was impossible for him to even come close to beating Dean. The other boy was simply too good, and, no matter how many times they fought, it seemed like Dean knew exactly what he was about to do.  
The focus of Sam's lessons had slowly shifted from the history of Team Free Will to more basic knowledge, specifically in survival situations. Of course, this information was presented in stories, usually about shipwrecked passengers trying to hold onto life in whatever way they could. He was also learning how to perform some of the neccassary tasks for each division. He learned about things from cartography to battle strategies to how to hush someone up.   
Today, however, was a day off. All morning they'd been packing, filling baskets to the brim with sandwiches, fruit, drinks, and blankets. Gabe had insisted that they bring an excessive amount of dessert, while Sam had tried desperately to pack only healthy food. Let's just say he was fighting a losing battle. Cas was pretty sure Dean had managed to sneak a few burgers into his basket, and he saw Gabe stuff a jumbo lollipop up his sleeve. Despite the complications around food, they were finally ready to head out.Sam had said they were going out to the Edge of the cliff, which apparently had a wonderful view of the Sea. 

Now, Dean and Sam were leading the way down a small, winding path that climbed slowly upward. Gabriel was stomping along next to Castiel, going on and on about something or other. Cas had heard way more than he'd ever wanted to know about his brother's relationship with Sam. Fortunately, there was enough scenery around to keep him mildly distracted. The path lead them through a small patch of woods, which teamed with wildlife. Once, just for a second, he saw the white and brown of a fawn as it leapt away from them.   
Slowly, the path left the forest and wound into a grassy field. The sun shone gently down on the golden grasses around them, making them shine. Sam had managed to keep Gabe quiet, and was explaining how the Edge was discovered.  
"...When the island was first discovered, there only a few families living in the village, and everything was wild and overgrown. It took forever to build the house, because it's way up here, but it's a fantastic vantage point. One of the workers wandered off one day, and nearly fell off. Of course, they'd known that there was an end to the cliff, but they hadn't known that extends a ways past the base. If you look at where it opens up in front of us a ways, that's about where the actual cliff stops, and it's just the Edge."   
Castiel gazed ahead, and saw what Sam was talking about. Gabe darted to his side, grinning wildly. "I bet you can't get there before me!" And he was gone. Cas, charged after him, eager to prove his brother wrong. He could hear the Winchesters laughing behind him, and then the pounding of feet. He sped up, passing Gabe. He panted, trying not to laugh at his brother's look of shock and indignance. He skidded to a stop about ten feet from the Edge. Dean Gabe stopped beside him, out of breath and glaring. Dean and Sam walked up, carrying the baskets. 

Within a few minutes of them all working (well, Gabe mostly just messed around), they'd set up a wonderful picnic, with blankets spread on the stony ground, piled up with food. They had sandwiches (tuna, turkey, and beef), watermelon, strawberries, and a pitcher of lemonade. Of course, there was one basket that Gabe had stocked with enough candy, ice cream, and cake to give you a heart attack.   
They talked as they ate, discussing subjects from colors to psychology. It turned out that Sam had actually studied the mind at one point, and explained enough about the human though process that Castiel felt like he needed to lay down to process things. Gabe ate an entire thing of ice cream before starting another. Cas slowly finished his sandwich, wandering right up to the Edge. He could see the Ocean stretching out into the horizon, colliding with the blue sky. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, listening to the chatter of his friends behind him. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, before realizing it was Dean and relaxing. Everything seemed perfect. He was with Dean, and Sam, and Gabe, and they were laughing and talking; In about a month, they'd be able to leave the island and really start the adventure.  
He stood for amount, enjoying the feeling of the wind whipping through his hair. 

Then, everything fell apart in the blink of an eye.

The sound of a gunshot cut through the air, and Cas heard a gasp from his right. He turned, feeling as though he was in a dream, to look at Dean. At first, he just looked shocked, but then Cas saw the blood trickling from his shoulder. Another gunshot rang out, and Sam doubled over, clutching his leg. Gabe dashed over to one of their bags, searching for some sort of weapon. Castiel turned, looking for the source of the bullets. He caught a flash of gold, and shielded his eyes from the sun, trying to see what exactly it was. Before he could make out what it was, he heard a clunk and turned to the Edge. He just had time to notice a black grappling hook had snagged onto the stone before a dozen more landed around it. He backed up slowly, before turning and dashing towards the others. Gabe had found a small pistol, and Dean, clutching his shoulder with one hand, had his sword in the other. Sam was hurriedly wrapping his leg up with gauze, but it was still bleeding profusely. He joined them, twisting back around to face the unknown threat.   
By now, whatever he'd seen in the sky was getting bigger, and he realized he couldn't tell what it was because it was in front of the sun, which seemed to be burning brighter in the feverish panic. There was a rapid whirring sound, and suddenly, black-clad figures shot up over the Edge. Castiel immediately noticed that each had some sort of gun on them, and that they were far outnumbered. The figures moved closer, and he caught the shine of gold buttons and bangles on their attacker's suits. He flinched at the sound of more gunshots, but was relieved when he realized that it was Gabriel shooting. A few of them fell, but the one who seemed to be the leader pulled out a small, intricate gun and fired faster than anyone could react, and he heard Gabe curse from behind him. He turned, terrified for his brother, but felt a sharp pain on the back of his head, and collapsed to his knees.   
His head reeled, and he couldn't seem to move, but he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, lift him up, and carry him away. He heard more gunshots, and watched his friends take cover behind a boulder. He felt a rush of wind, and a whirring sound. He saw the ground start to slowly fall away. He tried to move his arms, to scream, to do something, but he could only watch. Watch as Dean fought off two of their attackers, slashing them in the chest. Watch as Dean ran towards him, face battered and shoulder bleeding, yelling his name and desperately trying to grab onto his hand. For a split second, he thought that Dean would manage to grab his hand, and that everything would be okay. But then he was escalating faster, the world dropped away, and he slowly lost consciousness to the humming of some strange machine.

"Cas!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'll have to leave you all on a cliffhanger for this one, so sorry about that. Good luck!


	9. Capture

When Castiel returned to consciousness, the world was made of a jittery sort of shaking and a whirring noise. He struggled to open his eyes, fighting against the bright flashes of gold that seemed to throw themselves at him every time he tried. He felt cool metal under his fingertips, and twitched his fingers against the surface. With his eyes still closed, he heard unintelligible murmurs, and barely registered a sharp pain in his wrist before the world slipped away again.   
_______________________________________________________________________

The next time he woke, Cas seemed to have more control over his body. He opened his eyes, and saw gold. The wall in front of him looked to be made up mostly of gold pipes, levers, and gears. Ignoring the pounding ache in his skull, he turned his head from side to side. On his right, the wall was made up of the same hodgepodge of mechanisms, but also had a tiny window filled with the clear blues and whites of the sky. To his left, a silver door sat within the wall, with no handle of any kind on the surface. The whirring still filled the room, ever-present and taking up every last inch of space.   
He turned his attention to himself, and discovered that his hands and ankles were bound with rope. He could only move his fingers and shift on the cold floor, which was made up of the same mess as the walls. The back of his head was sending waves of pain through his body, and he squeezed his eyes shut against it.   
Slowly, the whirring gave way to the sound of voices and approaching footsteps. Cas snapped his head up when the silver door swung open, and three figures walked in. The most prominent of the three was a short man, with a proper suit, brown hair, and a condescending look in his eyes. Behind him stood a taller man with brown hair, and a fancy looking briefcase. Next to briefcase-man was an older man with white hair and a round belly.  
The first man stepped across the threshold of the door and into the small room, and Cas tensed, hoping he didn't come any closer. The man stopped a few feet away from him, and tapped his wooden cane on the metal floor twice, the sharp sound filling the room.   
"Good, you're awake. Just in time for my thoughtfully prepared monologue." The man had a British accent, and sarcasm dripped from his words. "The name's Crowley. Hopefully you'll have picked this up by now, but I'm not exactly the good guy. If not, I'll have to step up my whole kidnapping routine."

 

_______________________________________________________________________

 

For Dean, there just wasn't enough time. It didn't matter if his shoulder wasn't fully healed yet, or that he had no idea where to start, or that he hadn't even reported this to the big-shots of Team Free Will. It only mattered that he hadn't been fast enough, hadn't been good enough, to save Cas. Now he had to get him back, before something worse happened to him.  
It'd been three days since the attack. Their assailants had retreated after Cas was taken, and him, Sam, and Gabe had been left to pick themselves up. To make matters worse, they were all injured, and barely made it back to the house. Sam was limping heavily, and Gabe, who'd been shot in the hand, was hardly able to help support him. They'd patched themselves up as best they could, only breaking the grim silence when absolutely necessary.   
Fortunately, the bullet had only grazed the top of his shoulder, which meant it missed the bones and major arteries. However, that didn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch. His shoulder felt like it was burning, and he almost passed out when Sam stitched him up. The sensation had gone down since, but it was still pulling at the back of his conscious all the time.   
He'd helped remove the bullet from his brother's calf, which had run into the bone, so it didn't cause any extreme damage, though he did have to use crutches for a few weeks. Sam had also helped patch up Gabriel's hand,which was now bandaged beyond use. Overall, it seemed like they wouldn't be able to do much of anything for a while.  
Of course Dean didn't have a while. Cas was God-knows-where, and who knows what those people could have done to him in three days. It was all his fault. He should've seen the signs. He should've been looking out for an attack. It seemed ridiculous that he let a huge, flying, something get close enough to them to abduct Cas. Sam kept telling him it wasn't his fault, that they all should've been more careful, but what did he know? It wasn't his boyfriend that had been abducted by some assholes in fancy suits.

_______________________________________________________________________  
That night, he dreamed in gold and screams.   
Cool, firm metal pressing against his skin.  
Flashes of silver and copper shot in and out of his vision, making him dizzy.  
Shivers wracked his body, piercing his arms and legs.   
He screamed out into nothing.  
_______________________________________________________________________

He jolted up, sweating and panting. He pulled the blanket off of himself and pulled his legs up to his chest. Judging by the layer of darkness around him, Dean guessed it was around midnight. Slowly, he felt the panic inside his chest morph into anger, then hatred. He had to do something. He needed to get Cas back, and hopefully obliterate the people who'd taken him while he was at it. As he stood and got dressed in the dark, he listened to his heart beat get louder and louder. As he packed his bags, he felt every beat carry Castiel farther and farther away. As he crept down the hall to gather as many weapons as would fit, he began counting.  
At ten, he had a week's worth of rations packed away.  
At twenty, he'd left a plain note on the counter.  
At forty, he was out the door.   
At a hundred, he had a small boat ready to sail.  
By three hundred, he was gone.  
_______________________________________________________________________

Dear Sam,  
I've gone after Cas. Don't try to come after me, you need to rest and get your strength back. You can report to TFW if you want, it won't stop me. I'll be back as soon as I can.  
P.s. Sorry for taking so much food.

From,  
D.W.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably warn you guys that the next few chapters have some, uh, torture. It's not anything too bad, bit I'll desperate those parts from the rest of the text.


	10. Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some torture in it, so be warned. I'll point out where it is so it's easier to avoid.

"So..." Crowley paced around Castiel, talking in a bored tone. "An aristocrat's sons are kidnapped by a mysterious organization; the Aristocrat soaks up the attention and profits from the people's pity, but as hope of finding the boys fade, so does the publicity. That's where we come in. We bravely rescue the children, and take down a few of the captors as well. There's a lovely reunion, and we are paid handsomely and loved by all. Of course, we don't have your brother, but one out of two isn't bad. He'll have been killed by the heathens you consider friends, I suppose."  
Castiel remained quiet, trying desperately not to show anything on his face. So that's what his father had done with his disappearance. Made a profit. He felt a bolt if fear course through him. He couldn't go back there. Not to that empty house full of people. Go back to being ignored and treated like he didn't matter. He wanted to stay with Dean and Sam and Gabe...  
Gabriel! They would try to capture him as well! Wait... "How did you know where we were?" He questioned, trying to get a picture of the situation.   
"I happen to know a lot of things. I don't know, however, what the organization who took you in wants, and what they're doing. Now, are you going to tell us right away, or will we have to do things the hard way?"   
Despite the fear coursing rapidly through him, he held his tongue. These people obviously didn't know about Team Free Will, and it should be kept that way. He couldn't possibly put Dean and the others in danger. They needed to stay safe.  
Crowley nodded to briefcase-man, who opened his briefcase and pulled out... a syringe? Castiel shifted as the man approached him, urgently tugging on his ropes. Despite his writhing, the man held him in place, and he felt a sharp pain in his arm before the darkness came crashing down onto him. 

______________________________________________________________________

Sam had had just about enough of Dean's bullshit. Since Cas had been taken, he'd sulked and hardly helped at all, and now this. He'd left him and Gabe, injured and practically immobile, to go on a wild goose chase for Cas. And yeah, he could understand that he was upset, but he wished his brother wouldn't just rush into things without thinking first. How on earth was he going to follow a gigantic airship ( he couldn't think of a better name for it), much less attack it and bring Cas back safely? It wasn't like Sam and Gabriel could contact Team Free Will for help either, because 1. It could cause a huge disturbance, and 2. Dean had already left the island, which was strictly against protocol! Now Sam was left to mop up the shitstorm left behind. His leg wasn't getting any better either. A pocket of puss had formed where shrapnel had entered the wound, and there wasn't much they could do but wait for it to drain out. In the meantime, he was feverish and felt like crap, and Gabe seemed to be worried sick while trying to care for him. His boyfriend was more squeamish than than what the circumstances would allow, and his heavily bandaged hand didn't make things any easier. So, until they were adequately healed, they couldn't do much more than wait and complain about Dean's ridiculousness. 

_______________________________________________________________________

Cas woke up in a different room, arms and ankles tied tightly to the chair he was placed in. Though the world was hazy, he shifted, panic increasing as a masked figure strode towards him from across the room. He realized that this room seemed to be made entirely out of smooth copper. The figure was upon him, and when he yelped at the sight of a blade in their hands, he found his mouth blocked by a gag. He shut his eyes tightly, and felt a searing pain on his shoulder. He screamed through the gag, writhing desperately as he felt his own blood rush from the wound. Next came a cut to his arm, both his legs, his jawline, and again and again across his chest until his torn clothes were soaked with blood. Finally, finally, the masked figure slowly stood, dropped the silver blade, and looked him over. Seeming satisfied with their work, they haphazardly bandaged him up before sauntering around Castiel and through a door he couldn't see. He was left alone in the room filled with broken sobs and his shaking, bloody body.

 

A while later, he felt himself gently lifted and carried out of that terrible room, and he managed to slowly open his eyes. He was being carried through a maze of passageways and cluttered rooms. The arms holding him were soft and careful, and he found himself snuggling into them before he could think about it. Cas only opened his eyes again when he felt himself set gently down, and saw that he was in a tiny room made entirely out of brass piping, filled up almost entirely by a tiny bed and nightstand. By the time he looked for the person who had brought him there, they had already gone. 

_______________________________________________________________________

Cas hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep until he woke up, tangled in itchy sheets. He sat up and winced, realizing he was still heavily bandaged and sore. On the nightstand next to him was a slice of bread, a few peices of cheese, and a half full glass of water. He dug in eagerly, not caring that the bread was stale and the water was tinted with the taste of metal. By the time it occurred to him that there was some other flavor under the metal, he was already passing out.

 

He was back in that copper room, with the same emotionless figure in front of him. Castiel pulled against his binds as hard as he could, scratching his wrists in the process, when he saw what the figure had in a jar behind them. Dozens of writhing spiders, clambering over each other in a frantic rush. The person lifted the jar with gloved hands, gently plucked a single, hairy spider from it, and brought it slowly clos-

"That's enough, Alistair." A feminine voice commanded, and Cas tried to twist around and see who'd -hopefully- rescued him, but his restraints stopped him. The figure, Alistair, took the jar and left the room, not removing his mask.   
The voice spoke again, once the door had clunked shut, in a much kinder tone. "Sorry about that. I have some-" She cleared her throat, and spoke unnecessarily loud "very important negotiations to discuss with you Castiel." He felt the girl (He assumed she was young) lean in next to his ear. "I'm here to help you. I'm not sure why you're here, but I'm going to get you out." She stood up and walked around to face him, and he realized she wasn't wearing a mask. She did a mock bow, and when she came up, she was smiling. 

"My name's Charlie. Nice to meet you, Castiel Novak."


	11. Favors

Dean panted, before heaving the small boat up one more time, successfully securing it on the shore. Despite the fact that it had significantly fewer rations in it than a week ago, it was still pretty heavy. Because he was basically out of food and clean water, he'd stopped on this small island to buy much needed supplies from a village. He'd hardly slept in the past week, almost constantly paddling. His entire body felt as though it was sore right down to the bone, but he kept moving. There was no way that he'd be able to catch up to the airship at this rate, even if he was constantly moving. He needed to find a faster way to travel. Flight was kind of out of the question. Dean would never admit it, but he had a serious fear of flying. Hopefully, he'd brought enough money to buy a motorboat or something.

He trudged up the beach and into the jungle that seemed to cover most of the small island. He fought his way through the thick foliage for what felt like forever, before stopping abruptly. He could see, through a gap in the trees ahead of him, what looked like buildings. He crept forward, not sure what to expect. Fortunately, he'd arrived at what looked like an average town, though it was quite small. Unfortunately, Dean wasn't exactly in the right condition for human interaction. His clothes were torn, he was exhausted, and he probably smelled like a dead body. First things first, he needed to get cleaned up. He left the forest and entered the small town, trying to avoid people as much as possible. Oh, good. A clothing store.  
       When he entered, the little old lady behind the front desk looked stunned by his appearance, before quickly covering it with a smile and asking him what he was looking for.  
"Uh, just some clothes for..." -He couldn't really say "rescuing my boyfriend and fighting dicks "-"... Hiking?"  
The lady nodded, and led him to a rack in the back of the store. 

After getting three pairs of the cheapest clothes possible, he returned to the streets. He needed to change before he bought supplies, but where?  
After wandering around aimlessly for a while, he spotted an inn that looked pretty inexpensive. Well, it's getting dark any way, and I could really do with a night in an actual bed. Dean thought to himself, before stepping inside the quaint building. He rented a room for a night, and dashed up the stairs, anticipating a hot shower. He tugged off his torn clothes, grabbed a pair of clean ones, before stepping into the warm water. Oh, it was pure bliss to finally get clean. He grabbed the cheap soap from the shelf, and scrubbed himself thoroughly until the water turned cold. Once he was out, he threw on his fresh clothes, and decided to go down to the bar to get a drink and some warm dinner.  
\----------------------------------------------  
After practically stuffing his face with chicken, potatoes, and bread, he decided to try and make some conversation. He walked over to a group of people gathered around a pool table and- What the everloving fuck is that guy wearing? A cowboy outfit?  
It definitely looked like a cowboy outfit, complete with stirrups and a ten gallon hat. And damn, the guy was terrible at pool. It looked like he hardly knew how to play. Dean couldn't just watch him get crushed, he felt bad for the guy. So he sauntered up to the table, feeling the gaze of the small crowd shift to him.   
Wait, he needed to be tactful. The guy probably wouldn't budge if he didn't have a good reason...   
"Hey, buddy. You look like you've had a lot to drink." He wasn't lying. The boy was really drunk, but his gruff looking opponent didn't seem to feel bad about taking advantage of a drunk teenager.   
"How about we get you to bed?"   
The guy seemed to protest, but allowed himself to be led out of the bar and up the stairs. Only when he's reached his floor did Dean realize that he didn't know what room the kid was staying in. He couldn't really ask the guy, as he'd passed out halfway up the stairs. Well, looks like he'd have a roommate. 

Now that the boy was knocked out on a makeshift bed of blankets, Dean could get a better look at him. He was really skinny and gangly. He had brown hair and... From what he remembered, blue eyes.   
Dean groaned. Now he had to deal with some random hung over kid the next day. That definitely wasn't gonna disturb his rest tonight, though.

___________________________  
When he woke up the next morning, the guy was still asleep. Shit. He didn't have time for this. He filled a cup with cold water from the sink, and dumped it on the guy's face. He jolted upright, sputtering.  
   "W-what's going on?" He gasped out, groaning and holding his head.  
"Hey, buddy, it's okay, just stay still for a second." Dean responded, realizing that the guy must have a pretty bad hangover. When the kid sat down again, groaning, he continued. "You got pretty drunk last night, so I helped you get up here." He refilled the cup and handed it to the stranger. "What's your name?"  
"The guy gulped down the water. "I'm Garth. How about you?"  
"Dean. Do you know the quickest way off this island?" Sure, the guy was pretty hungover, but he needed to keep moving.   
"That'd be through me.  I have a kind of an upgraded blimp."   
    "First of all, you have a blimp. Second of all, that's the fastest way out of here? There aren't any ships or anything?"  
       "We have a few cruise ships, but they won't be back for at least a few weeks. And it's an upgraded blimp, so it's a lot faster."  
Shit. Shit. Dean felt dread pool in his stomach, realizing he didn't seem to have any options besides giving up or flying. In a blimp. Fan-freaking-tastic.   
"How much will it cost to ride in your "upgraded blimp, anyway?"  
Garth hummed, thinking. "Well, I do owe you a favor I guess. Besides, I'm the only one who knows how to pilot it..."   
"What are you saying?" Dean asked, but he was pretty sure he knew where this was going.   
"Because I owe you one, I could take you wherever you need to go for free. Where are you going, anyway?"   
Dean scratched the back of his head, not quite sure how to tell the guy. "Well, it's a long story..."  
___________________________

About an hour-and a lot of useless questions- later, Dean and Garth had come to an agreement: Garth would help Dean look for Castiel, and take him anywhere he needed, as long as Dean took care of all the supplies for the journey. Dean kind of felt like he'd short changed the other boy, but Garth adamantly refused to accept any of the money that was offered to him. He gave him the location of his blimp, and they agreed to meet there in an hour after Dean got everything they needed and Garth readied the ship.   
Dean made his way back to his small boat quickly, and gathered the few things he'd brought with him. He had one can of chili left, a sack full of guns and other weapons, the necklace Sam had given him when they were kids, and his sword. It was one of his most prized possessions. While the actual sword was quite plain, the scabbard was encrusted with gems of all colors and shapes, with a rust-colored dragon curling itself around the whole thing. When he'd compared his blade to Cas', he'd discovered his was slightly larger and heavier.   
He made his way back to the village, and into a a small market bustling in the center of the little town. Fortunately, he had enough money for a lot of food, even if he could only buy non-perishable stuff. Garth had mentioned having some rations already, so with his arms full of bags, he decided they'd have enough to last them a while.   
Dean finally made his way over to the empty lot where Garth kept his "new and improved™" blimp. Dean felt his stomach drop at the sight of the contraption. The balloon was a lot smaller than on most blimps, probably because the wooden compartment had wings. Not like airplane wings, either. Like, dragon wings. Intricate, wooden, fluttering dragon wings.   
Almost dropping his groceries, Dean dashed over to the machine, and was stunned by how elaborate the mechanics of the wings were, even just from the outside. They definitely had ball joints where they met the wood of the compartment, but what was in the wings? On closer inspection, Dean was even more awe-struck. The wings weren't just delicately carved slabs of wood, but thousands of interlocking, individual wooden scales, all connected by tiny little joints. Still shocked, he wandered into the large compartment, to find Garth shoveling cole into a hearth in the corner. He could see that the box was actually quite roomy, with two bedrooms, a mini kitchen/living space, a control area for the blimp, and a bathroom. How would a toilet work when they were in the air? Dean decided he'd rather not think about that one too much.   
Realizing he was there, Garth turned to him, wiping his eyes and smearing cole on his face. "So, ready to go?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have mentioned this earlier, but I don't really think this is my best writing, as I figured out the plot along the way and wrote this a few months ago. As I'm just posting this from my wattpad, once I start a nee story it'll probably have a more cohesive story line.


	12. Dreams

Cas was pretty sure he wouldn't have made it without Charlie's help. She didn't have enough authority to stop the torture, but she was able to help him pick himself back up when it was over. He was still refusing to say anything about Team Free Will or his friends, much to the dismay of Crowley and his henchmen.   
Sleeping was hell when they refused to give him drugs to knock him out, because then he dreamed. Dreamed about when he was young: his father yelling at him for getting a bad grade, his mother crying when his father had hit Gabriel when he came home from a boy's house, the cold silence that wound its way through his home after he'd turned down all the girls that had been sent to court him. It was even worse when his sleep was filled with memories of the happy days he'd spent with Sam and Dean, laughing and learning and training with his friends. Sometimes it was just him, trapped in a completely dark room filled with the smell of metal, where the walls and floors made of turning gears cut deep into his palms and feet. He was never really sure if that was one was a dream or not, especially when he felt aches deep within his feet and hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short, I had serious writer's block when I wrote it. I promise I'll post something lengthier tomorrow, to make up for it!


	13. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has some fighting and a little bit of gore, so be warned.

This chapter has some gore, so be warned. I'll separate those parts from the rest by putting a line around them, and putting them in bold.

\----------------------------------------------

Even though Dean threw up about eight times, he couldn't deny that Garth's special blimp was amazing. It flew incredibly smoothly, especially considering it was going so fast. The wooden wings could make the blimp soar miles into the air with only a few beats of its powerful wings, they could spread out to let the ship keep its height, as well as angle downwards to lead the vessel into a sharp dive. Dean had checked the mechanics of the thing a dozen times over, and couldn't find a single flaw in the machinery.  
         Of course, it all would've been pointless if Garth wasn't such a good pilot. He controlled the vessel with ease, changing the course of the ship to follow the thin trail of smoke they'd found on the second day of flying. In the four days since then, it'd been growing progressively thicker and darker, now nearly clouding out the window at the head of the blimp.  
         Every time Dean looked at it, he felt a rush of adrenaline, knowing that he'd find Cas soon. He could only hope that his boyfriend hadn't been injured, or -he could hardly bring himself to consider it- killed. God, he was going to kick those bastards' asses.   
         He wandered back to his small room, where he'd laid out every single weapon he'd brought with him. Dean was sure he'd sharpened them all at least a dozen times, but one more couldn't hurt, right? He grabbed cas's sword, which he hadn't found until he unpacked his bags all the way. He must've picked it up in his rush to leave the island. Another pang of sadness coursed through Dean as he carefully polished and sharpened the blade once again.  
         "Dean! Get over here, you'll want to see this!" Came Garth's voice from the control panel, and Dean set the sword down and rushed out of his room and into the main room of the blimp. When he saw the front window, immediately realized what Garth had been talking about. Through the haze of smoke, barely visible, was a distant form with light reflecting off the gold surface.  
         "Yeah, that's it." Dean murmured, running through the boarding plan they'd gone over the night before. It'd be nearly impossible to get the blimp too close to the metal ship without being detected, so after about 50 terrible ideas, they decided to use what their enemies had used in the first place: grappling hooks. Dean rushed back to his room, grabbing his own sword, and putting Cas's in his sheath.  
        When he returned to the main room, Garth had put the blimp on autopilot, and readied the two grappling hooks they'd be using. With a nod, he pulled the latch to pull down the ladder that lead to the top of the blimp, before climbing. Dean took a deep breath before following, trying to calm his nerves, wortied about seeing how high up they really were.  
          God, he loathed flying. From the top of the blimp, he could barely see the ground, and could feel the vessel rocking slightly. Garth had to snap his fingers in front of his face to get his attention, before gesturing for him to ready his grappling hook over the rush of the wind in their ears. He did so, and when Garth had counted down from five on his fingers, he released it onto the metal ship in front of them.          
        Fortunately, both their hooks found purchase on the ridged surface of the metal, and Dean pressed the button that would retract the rope and pull him towards where the hook was attached, knowing Garth would soon follow him. Despite his terror at flying over the gap between the ships, he managed to grab onto a protruding gold gear and pull himself up to shakily stand on the surface of the ship. When Garth had soared over and heaved himself up as well, they headed up to entrance embedded in the metal, before they worked together to twist the door open. As soon as the door swung upwards, an alarm began blaring throughout the ship, and Dean jumped right into the belly of it, knowing he wouldn't have time to hesitate. He turned to Garth who had landed beside him. "You'll take care of the pilot, right?" He asked, making sure they both had the plan right. Garth nodded, grinning, before dashing off to the right. Dean began sprinting off to the left, only to see a group of black-clad guards rushing towards him. He raised his sword, ready to take them on.  
___________________________  
Cas was lucky enough to be with Charlie when the alarms went off. She had been about to run off into the mayhem, but he had convinced her that, whatever it was, this was the perfect time to make their getaway. Since the guards were all rushing off to deal with the intrusion, they were able to leave the bronze room and walk out into the halls freely.   
       "We need to find the captain, Kevin. He's on our side, and he should be able to help us get off this thing." She explained as they walked, steering him in the direction of the cockpit. Once, that had to dodge a flurry of bullets from an overly paranoid guard, but eventually they reached the pilot.  
         The moment they entered the room, they found a gun pointed at them. A boy with brown hair in a... cowboy outfit(?) had a pistol pointed at who Cas assumed was Kevin, with his back to them. "Hate to break it to you guys, but you've been Garthed."   
        Cas felt the hope that'd been building up inside his chest turn into defeat. They'd been so close escape. If only they'd gone a different way, he could've been out of this god-forsaken hunk of metal by now, and back with Dean.   
        Suddenly, he felt someone ram into his back, nearly knocking him off his feet. He turned, and was instantly enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. He was stunned, not quite understanding what was happening. Finally, when he was released, he came face-to-face with stunning green eyes. "Dean!" Oh god, it was really him! Before Cas could really take it in, Dean had rushed around him and grabbed the cowboy guy's gun, turning it down to the floor. "Garth! You almost shot Cas!"  
        Realization flashed across the guys face, and he mumbled what sounded like an apology. Dean turned to look at Charlie, his face hardening. "What are you doing here?"  
        Before Charlie could say anything in her defense, Cas stepped around her to explain knowing Dean would listen to him. "She's helping me, and so is the pilot. I can explain more later, but now we should really get going."  
         That seemed to set everyone in motion, as Kevin-the-pilot went to the helm to steer the ship back towards Garth's blimp. Garth stayed behind to help, and Charlie lead them back into the metal halls, to get control of the ship.   
       "Here, I thought you'd want this," Dean said, offering him a sword. On closer inspection, Cas realized it was the blade he'd chosen that day with Dean, and beamed. He'd finally go home. But, unfortunately, he couldn't let his guard down quite yet.   
        ___________________  
They ran into a group of their enemies after only a minute, when they turned a sharp corner. Charlie dashed right at them, pulling a dagger from her pocket and slashing at an agent in the front. Cas charged after her, pulling his own sword to attack a guard. Even when he was half-starved and soar all over, he was still more than able to parry all of his opponent's blows, before cutting them all the way down their chest. He turned to see Dean cut the throat of one of the agents, not realizing there was another coming up to get him while his focus was elsewhere. Moving quickly, Cas dived in between them, catching the attacker's blade with his own. While their blades were locked, Dean realized what was happening and spun towards the last guard, before slicing his head clean off.    
Cas grimaced as it fell onto the cool metal with a dull thunk. The floors were slick with blood, and they had to be careful not to slip as they continued on.  
___________________________  
       Finally, after patrolling the halls a few times, and fighting a some more of the guards, they heard Kevin yell that they were ready to leave. They met at the steps to the roof of the ship, before quickly climbing up onto the exposed metal. Thankfully, Garth and Kevin had managed to find a way to activate a boarding system on the metal ship, which released a thick slab of steel that could be placed on an enemy ship to form a kind of bridge. After making sure it was secure, they all hurried across. Now that he was finally safe, everything felt like a dream to Cas. 

              Well, everything except Dean. When the older boy pulled him close and kissed him deeply within the safety of the blimp, he felt the way the other boy gripped his hips with perfect clarity. When he pulled back, still holding him close, and laughed, loud and ecstatic, it sounded clear as a bell. When, for the next hour filled with excited chatter and celebration, Dean didn't let go of his hand once, he felt as though the warmth of his friend and lover's fingers gripping his own would never leave him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's basically the end, but I will be posting a short epilogue. It won't really have plot or anything, but what can you do. Thanks for reading!


	14. Epilogue

Two months later.

Cas woke up before the even the sun was up, but he just couldn't fall back asleep. Nerves and excitement made his heart race as he pulled his best clothes on, not hearing his door creak as it opened. He jumped when he felt arms wrap around his chest, but relaxed when he realized it was only Dean.  
"What're you doing up so early, Cas?" The boy asked, holding him close.  
"I could ask you the same thing, Dean." He murmured, turning as his boyfriend pulled him into a lazy kiss.  
"It's probably just nerves."  
Dean laughed, kissing his forehead. "Don't worry. I know it can be nerve wracking, but it's actually just a ton of fun. I'm sure Bobby'll love you, anyway."  
"I hope so. I know how important to you he is, Dean." The older boy just ruffled his hair, grumbling about him being too sappy. 

An hour and a half later, after they'd all had breakfast, Cas, Dean, Sam, Gabe, Charlie, Kevin, and Garth began the trip down to the village. Once they were there, they walked down the main road through the crowded buildings, until the arrived at the main port. They sat and chatted for a little while, waiting for the boat that would be there shortly.   
After a little while, Cas yawned, the warm sun making him sleepy. He laid back until his head was resting in Dean's lap, and let himself drift to sleep, waiting for the man who would decide what crew he'd be a part of for years to come.

He awoke to Dean gently shaking his shoulder, immediately noticing the excited energy thrumming through the air.   
"Cas, you gotta wake up. They're almost here."   
      He jolted up as soon as he understood his boyfriend's words, standing and desperately trying to make his clothes look neater. As soon as he was sure they couldn't get any tidier, he turned to see what the others were looking at, and saw a ship heading in to the port. Soon, it had reached the docks, and was quickly tied up before the crew exited. The man who Cas assumed must be Bobby was a gruff-looking man who was heading straight toward them from the far side of the dock.  
When he reached them, he immediately greeted Sam and Dean, clapping them both on the back, before turning to look at the rest of them.   
"Well, are you going to just stand there, or are you going to introduce yourselves?" He barked after a moment, and they all talked over each other in their hurry to respond, much to the amusement of the Winchesters.   
After they'd finally managed to introduce themselves properly, Bobbly looked the all over again, before turning to the Winchesters once more.   
"Well, do you boys think you can handle a crew with so little experience?"   
Sam and Dean both grinned, and Cas felt himself smiling as well. If Sam and Dean excepted, which was almost definitely their answer, then he'd get to work with all of his friends for years and years.  
"I think we can handle them." Dean responded, wrapping his arm around Cas and pulling him closer. 

    Castiel smiled to himself, ecstatic about finally starting his new life with the Winchesters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, that's it. Like I said, this isn't my best work, but it'll do. I plan on posting another fic I have going sometime relatively soon, so stay tuned! Thanks so much to everyone who's read this or commented! I really appreciate your support!

**Author's Note:**

> So, there's the first chapter! The rest of the story is already finished, so I'll post it over the next few weeks. Have a great day!


End file.
